Nothing More Disruptive
by Zarius
Summary: Gordon reveals to Virgil what's on his mind, while Kayo asks Alan why he didn't tell her about Gordon's slobbier habits (tag for 2x04, "City Under The Sea")


**THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!**

 **NOTHING MORE DISRUPTIVE**

 **WRITTEN BY ZARIUS**

 **(Contains spoilers for "City Under The Sea")**

 **The little thing about Penelope's visit to The Hood in prison is a nod to one of my previous fics, "Questionable Methods", be sure to check if that out if you give this a read, thankyou kindly-Zarius**

* * *

As Thunderbird 2 touched down on Tracy Island, Gordon, Kayo and Virgil reflected on their trip to Antarctica, bearing witness to the very edge of existence with the family they had managed to save from the submerged city.

"It's miraculous that nice unit were so willing to exchange clear waters for icy patches" Kayo noted, "It's like nothing really bothered them about the predicament they were in"

"It's always like that when we're around" Gordon replied, "We provide real reassurance"

"With the mess you leave in Thunderbird 4, it's probably a good thing they had reassuring manners, if I were in their shoes I'd be most critical of having to sit through a craft with as many wrappers"

"Hey, it's my space" Gordon insisted.

"Yes it is, but sometimes your space has to be their place" replied Kayo.

"Is there something I'm not catching here?" asked Virgil.

"Yes, the youngest of the Tracy clan are in dire need of watching how they dispose of their trash" Kayo insisted.

As she disembarked from Thunderbird 2 and headed to the living area upstairs, Gordon was left alone to defend his habits.

"She thinks I'm some sort of slob in secret" he said.

"Hardly secretive, you were exactly like this with Alan on Thunderbird 3 a month ago" Virgil replied.

"Yeah, but it's a credit to Alan he didn't tell her" Gordon replied, twiddling his fingers. Virgil opted to change the subject.

"So Penelope did a real bang up job getting the better of The Mechanic" he joked.

"Oh great swerve there Virgil, at least with this situation I get to worry about something normal" Gordon snapped.

"Easy there pussycat" Virgil replied, barely intimidated. Gordon had yet to master the precise means to intimidate.

"Well, it's just I had a lot to deal with on my plate...rescuing the family, making sure to hasten the rescue due to the growing concern of the crack on their ship getting bigger until it finally caused the glass to cave in...and then there was a moment I thought Kayo was...gone...worse still, my minds immediately turned to Penny..."

Virgil shook his head, "I'm sorry Gordon, I didn't think..."

"No, no it's ok, it's the kind of stress we try to avoid through jokes and quips, and yeah, even the occasional bursts of unkempt living. Those celery bars are great stress relievers you know, when you tend to worry too much about the way you're perceived on missions, they're just a means with which you can kick back and just let your taste buds satisfy you more than people"

"So long as you let everyone know you're ok, your eating habits should concern you the least. Nothing is more disruptive to how we cope with our occupations than the fear of the unknown happening to us...it's a lot more overwhelming than what we gain from the reality of it"

"Maybe I should have a talk with Penny, see if she's shaken up any by what went on. She can put on a tough front, but I think I've been letting her drift on her own too much...and Parker did tell me some unsettling thoughts he had on her visit to the Hood's prison" Gordon replied.

"Really, like what?" said Virgil.

"That's kind of our business for now, but we'll let you know if it needs to be yours too" Gordon replied.

In the living area, Kayo found Alan was busy picking up the discarded wrappers off of the floor and neatly placing them in the bin he had been trying to toss them into much earlier in the day, and achieving little success. It's what had prompted her to call him a slob

"See, a little insult goes a long way to kick in some motivation" Alan remarked.

"If it helps, Gordon is a far worse slob than you" Kayo replied.

"Really, I could have told you that a month ago" said Alan.

"And why didn't you? " Kayo asked, crossing her arms and looking into Alan with accusing, yet graceful, eyes.

"We'd just kind of bonded over that month I guess, we'd seen alien life, and I'd...well..."

"..Did everything he suggested?" Kayo replied.

"We got a fantastic experience out of it, and he made me feel like I'd made a good call, even if it almost got us all killed..." Alan confessed, picking up the bin and hauling it over to the kitchen.

Kayo smiled, "An honourable bond, one that gives one of each a safe sort of space, I can respect that more than leaving any actual space at the mercy of these things"

She produced a small celery bar from her pocket and offered it to Alan.

"They're definitely the sort of taste you have to acquire; luckily I've mastered such a habit. Now it's your turn" she said, unwrapping it and offering Alan a nibble.

"Celery? Well at least it's a step up from those cheesy milkshakes he drinks...maybe in being a slob, he's learning there's nothing more disruptive to a healthy lifestyle than the fastest sort of food"

Alan took the bar out of the wrapper, Kayo crunched it up.

"Let me see if I can score a touchdown" she said, shoving the rest of the snack into Alan's mouth. Alan nodded, and put some distance between the bin and Kayo.

She gave the bin a precision gaze, and flung the wrapper far across the room. It landed neatly into it.

Alan ran up to Kayo and high-fived her.

"Teach me how to stick a landing like that" he said.

"Only if you let me know next time when there's someone making a bigger mess than you, there's nothing more disruptive to a clean cat like me than that"


End file.
